1. Quality assurance in higher education in Croatia – standards, procedures, results Đurđica Dragojević & Emita Blagdan Agency for Science and Higher Education Networking visit of SEE QA experts to the ARACIS and the Bologna Secretariat 19 - 20 October 2011, Bucharest

2. Croatian HE In the academic year 2005/06 3+2+3 system was introduced  the 3-cycle system fully implemented in Croatia Binary system Development of the CROQF and referencing to EQF and EHEA New external and internal QA procedures in HE and science All program components linked with ECTS credits Centralised system for enrolment to HEIs 3-cycle system 323

4. HE and scientific sector in Croatia Number of HEIs: 122 (90 public / 32 private) 10 universities (7 public / 3 private) 13 polytechnics / 27 colleges Number of students: 174 000 Number of scientific organizations: 103 + 46 other legal persons registered in the Register of Scientific Organisations

5. Study Programme Register Cca 1250 study programmes Undergraduate cca 450 Graduate cca 525 Postgraduate 275 Binary system University cca 1068 Professional courses cca 215

6. University autonomy in Croatia Since 2003 universities in Croatia have autonomously determined: –Enrolment quotas and admission conditions and procedures –Tuition fees and tuition fee remissions –All lump-sum related decisions within budgetary limits –Strategies and development priorities –All questions related to teaching and studies (including the implementation of Bologna reforms) –Establishment of administrative support (additional staff positions were provided for this) –Internal distribution of new staff positions (but not salaries)

7. National governance bodies Ministry of Science, Education and Sports Agency for Science and Higher Education Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education National Councils for Science and Higher Education National Foundation for Science Rectors’ Conference and the Council of Polytechnics and Colleges National Council for the Funding of Research and Higher Education, National Ethics Council National Centre for the Evaluation of Education

8. Agency for Science and HE (ASHE) Independent public institution responsible for QA in HE and science Started with activities in 2005 ASHE's mission is to protect the public interest with keeping the standards of higher-education qualifications and working on the quality improvement in science and higher education Main activities: initial accreditation, re-accreditation, thematic evaluation, external audit of QA systems of HEIs, collecting and processing information on system of science and HE, professional recognition of foreign HE qualifications, providing information on conditions for enrolment into HE system and collecting information on fulfilment of conditions for enrolment into HEIs, supporting work of various national bodies, international cooperation.

9. Legal framework Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education (2003 with amendments in 2004 and 2007) Act on Recognition of Foreign Qualifications (2003 with amendments in 2004) Act on QA in Science and Higher Education (2009)

10. ASHE organizational structure

11. ASHE international context Since October 2011 full ENQA member Since 2008 CEENQA member Since 2008 member of OECD IMHE (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – Programme for Institutional Management in Higher Education). Since 2006 member of INQAAHE Since 2003 part of ENIC and NARIC network

12. ASHE QA role (1) 2005-2009 ASHENCS/NCHE carries out QA activities issues recommendation Since 2009 ASHE ACNCS/NCHE carries out QA activities/issues recommendation gives its opinionstrategic body in decision making

13. ASHE QA role (2) 2005 – 2009 Accreditation of new study programs Accreditation of new HEIs Re-accreditation of existing scientific organizations Accreditation of new scientific organizations Re-accreditation of existing HEIs

14. ASHE QA role (3) 2005 – 2009 Accreditation of new study programmes: part of Bologna transition (4-year programmes 3+2 years + ECTS) in 2005 ~800 study programmes accredited (mostly Bacc./Master) between 2005 and 2009 ~ 400 study programmes accredited (mostly postgraduate) outcome: YES/NO/CONDITIONAL (related to staff numbers only) paper based, peer review – 2 reviewers appointed, one usually outside Croatia specialised software developed due to huge workload (MOZVAG)

15. ASHE QA role (4) 2005 – 2009 Accreditation of new HEIs: 60 requests, half of those approved outcome: YES/NO/CONDITIONAL (related to staff numbers only) site visits, mostly Croatian panels of experts, no students reports were not public

16. ASHE QA role (5) 2005 – 2009 Accreditation of existing scientific organizations: 24 scientific organizations outcome: YES/NO/LETTER OF EXPECTATION + recommendations for improvement (elements of institutional evaluation) self - evaluation, site visits, international experts Accreditation of new scientific organizations: 40 requests, 35 approved outcome: YES/NO decision paper, based, reports not public

17. ASHE QA role (6) Since 2009 ASHE activitiesSelf - assessment Peer review Site visit Publication of a report Follow-up procedure Reaccreditation+++++ Thematic evaluation ++ Possible, not compu- lsory + Not formally, but a negative outcome is followed up by reaccreditation Audit+++++

18. ASHE QA role (7) Since 2009 Re-accreditation: 5 – year cycles All public and private HEIs + scientific organizations established and/or financed by the state Checking fulfilment of necessary conditions prescribed by the Statute + quality assessment on the basis of established criteria Quality assessment affects the amount of financing from the state budget First round almost finished -17 HEIs went through the process so far, 32 planned for 2011/12

19. ASHE QA role (8) Since 2009 Thematic evaluation: Focus on a single segment of activities of a HEI or a scientific organization or the whole HE/science system Outcome: a review report with an assessment; if the assessment is negative, ASHE can launch a reaccreditation procedure Currently in procedure – thematic evaluation of public research institutes

20. ASHE QA role (9) Since 2009 Audit of QA systems of HEIs:  CARDS 2003 project in 2006  Seminars for HEIs, Audit manual, education for ASHE staff  Develop & promote quality culture  ASHE established the audit model in line with good international practice and the ESG  Audit serves to determine the degree of development and effectiveness of a QA system of a HEI  Audit outcomes are: final report with recommendations for improvement and a certificate; re-audit within a period of no longer than 18 months or launching a re-accreditation of a HEI

21. ASHE QA role (10) Since 2009 Audit of QA systems of HEIs – Impact: Enhancement of quality culture 105 QA units at Uni/Faculties established 42 QA units at polytechnics/ colleges established Database of auditors

22. National Infromation System for Sience and HE (NISSHE): To become a central database with all relevant and official data and information on Croatian higher education and scientific research Should provide relevant information for national bodies in the context of accreditation, reaccreditation and licensing of study programmes and institutions Should provide Croatian higher education institutions and scientific organizations with relevant information for their own quality management ASHE role in collecting and analysing data on the systems of science and higher education (1)

23. Directory of study programmes: The aim of the Directory is to provide information regarding accredited study programmes and Croatian HEIs Database enables searches according to various criteria: 1. type of study programme 2. institution providing the programme 3. name of study programme 4. study field 5. location of the institution etc. ASHE role in collecting and analysing data on the systems of science and higher education (2)

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